


Star Crossed

by Joking611



Category: Mass Effect, Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Angst, F/M, Honor among enemies, Unrequited Love, respect
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-27
Updated: 2017-12-27
Packaged: 2019-02-22 10:17:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13164843
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Joking611/pseuds/Joking611
Summary: 2017 Secret Santa Fic!Kai Leng saw more than a little of himself in a renegade Jane Shepard.If only she could see herself in him...





	Star Crossed

**Author's Note:**

  * For [I_Write_Tragedies_Not_Sins](https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_Write_Tragedies_Not_Sins/gifts).



> Part of the 2017 MEFFW Secret Santa Exchange!

“I’m surprised he let you come back.” Miranda never looked up from her console as she addressed the open hatch behind her.

“And I’m surprised you’re still here at all. That was a monumental fuckup letting Rasa escape with the clone.” Kai Leng leaned against the doorway, fully comfortable in his position for the first time in months. Miranda might be able to deceive others with her holier than thou attitude, but he wasn’t fooled. The Illusive Man didn’t suffer fools gladly. Miranda’s recent misstep had placed them closer to even ground for the first time since he’d lost Subject Zero to the Blue Suns. His taunt wasn’t without weight. He was honestly surprised that The Illusive Man hadn’t punished Miranda more overtly.

Of course, his presence here was sure to do some of that.

He chuckled inwardly. Miranda was so damn confident, but this time it had bitten her in the ass. Actually, he couldn’t be happier about that. A little more of Rasa’s demonstrated disloyalty would have taken some of the sting away from his failure at the Cerberus training facility. Especially since he wasn’t the one spending time under this particular bus. Besides, who cared if she took the damn clone? Shepard was what was important here, not a copy, and certainly not Miranda’s reputation.

“The Illusive Man has the upmost faith in Project Lazarus, and in my team. The clone was irrelevant, already slated for destruction. Commander Shepard will be who she was, I guarantee it.” Miranda still didn’t grace him with a look.

“That’s why you wanted the control chip then?” Leng feigned boredom as he looked down at his fingernails as he chipped away at her fabricated calm. “Because you were so convinced that she would be exactly who she was? Is it _him_ you’re trying to convince, or yourself?”

Miranda finally turned at that, taking in the view of a sweaty Leng, obviously fresh from the gym. His relaxed stance with a towel around his neck and a electrolyte drink in one hand was intended to communicate nonchalance. “I wanted it because it’s my job to prepare for all contingencies. Shepard is an avowed enemy of Cerberus.”

“She’s an avowed defender of humanity. There’s no reason to expect she won’t join us.” Leng stared placidly back at his competition. “Unless you somehow give her reason not to.”

“Except the oath she swore to the Alliance.”

“Some things transcend the Alliance.”

“Is that what you tell yourself? How you rationalize becoming a murderer?” Miranda allowed herself a small smile as Kai Leng was unable to keep the momentary flash of anger from his eyes. “Based on her dossier, I think she’ll take her oath more seriously than you did.”

Composed again, Leng just shook his head dismissively. “You can try to provoke me all you want, Miranda. The Illusive Man had you, and he had me. He obviously believed neither of us was good enough for what he has in mind. That's why he spent a fortune on _her,”_ he nodded at the images in front of Miranda, Shepard sliced into a hundred different perspectives. 

“Shepard achieved the impossible,” Miranda defended the near-corpse on the monitors. “Without her…” She trailed off as words to describe the coming apocalypse eluded her.

“I read the report.”

“Then you know it took getting spaced to kill her.”

“It took that idiot Moreau to kill her. Stupidity is often fatal, just not usually for who deserves it.” He finished his drink, leaving the container on the console just inside the door as he turned away. “I’ll be in the showers when you come looking for me.”

He was able to hear Miranda slam her hand on her console before the hatch closed.

_‘Too easy…’_

.o0o.o0o.o0o.o0o.o0o.

“You know you're not supposed to be in here.” Leng hadn’t been on Lazarus Station two months, but his fixation on Shepard annoyed Miranda to no end. It had gotten to the point where the start of her shift found the man sitting next to Shepard’s bed more often than not. “And what the hell’s that?” She asked when Leng failed to reply. “This is a lab, a sickroom, not a place you can just bring in a goddamn parasite.”

If Miranda’s outburst bothered Leng, he gave no sign as he continued to relax next to Shepard, barely reacting to Miranda’s presence. Today was even worse than usual, as apparently he’d attached a sprig of mistletoe to the scanner over Shepard's body. _‘I don’t care how good he is, his obsession with the commander is creepy,’_ she thought. _‘I’m going to have to talk to The Illusive Man about this behavior,’_  she decided. 

“You worry too much, Miranda.” Leng still didn’t bother rising from his chair. “The commander’s been off cleanroom protocols for six months.” He indicated Miranda’s ungloved hands. “You don’t even scrub before coming in here.” He turned back to Shepard, gently rubbing the back of his hand down her cheek, caressing between the scars. “Sleeping Beauty was awakened by a kiss.” He looked back up at Miranda. “And it is seasonally appropriate where she comes from. Who am I to deny her the comforts of home, perhaps a knight in shining armor?”

Miranda ran her hand through her hair, too angry with Leng to respond reasonably, but allowing herself to be drawn into the conversation anyway. “Her records revealed no overt interest in knights or damsels. You’re in for a disappointment, Leng. She’s a soldier, not a fairy tale.”

The look he gave Miranda was almost compassionate. “Unlike you, _Miss Lawson_ , Shepard wasn’t designed for a task. She’s a human woman. One that…” He paused as his eyes flicked to Miranda’s side.

She turned to follow Leng’s gaze, and realized that Medical Officer Wilson had some up beside her. “Miranda…” he began.

That was all he had a chance to get out before Leng had charged across the room, his chair still tumbling as he buried his sword into Wilson’s chest.

“Wilson!” Miranda screamed as she jumped away, drawing her sidearm and leveling it at Leng.

Kai Leng moved more slowly now, this time trying not to startle her. He slowly pulled his sword from Wilson’s body, letting the man crumple unceremoniously to the floor. “Check his kit.” Leng kneeled beside the man, wiping his blade along the length of Wilson’s torso. “Poison. Don’t know what kind, but you’d have never detected it once it was in her. ‘Massive circulatory collapse’ is what the communication said. Even if you could have rebuilt her again, which he doubted, you’d have been set back a year.”

“Bullshit. He was just as invested as anyone here.” Miranda was starting to come down from her adrenaline rush, but her pistol remained centered on Kai Leng while dark energy smoked lightly around her.

Kai Leng shrugged as he stood. “Invested? Maybe. Certainly not as well paid as some. The Shadow Broker bought him fairly cheaply.” He kicked Wilson’s bag to Miranda’s feet. “Check it yourself. I’m going to bed. I’ve waited two weeks for this asshole to make his move.” He turned his back on Miranda as he started to leave.

“Wait, Leng. You can’t kill one of my staff and just walk away.”

He slowly turned to face her. “Events would appear to contradict that statement.”

“How did you,” she waived her pistol at the corpse on the floor. “Why…”

“How was easy,” he interrupted. “I just kept my eyes open. That boy scout you have running security thinks everyone on the inside is as moral as he is. He’s only looking for outside threats.” He shook his head in dismissal.  “You’re just as bad, focused and driven. You give no thought to the people around you. They may agree that humanity comes first, but most of them are in it for a paycheck, not the greater glory of Miranda Lawson.” He met Miranda’s eyes with anger for the first time since his return. “And why… Why is because she damn well deserves better. Incompetence killed her once. I’m not going to let it kill her again.”

With that he stormed from the room. 

.o0o.o0o.o0o.o0o.o0o.

“Again!”

“Fuck you Leng.” The insult was halfhearted, and delivered with a sardonic smile.

“You leave for Minuteman Station in two days. Miranda was ordered to wake you up early, but we still need to get you as ready as we can before you’re out in the field.”

“Bullshit,” harsher this time. “Other than the frankenscars, I woke up in better condition than I’ve been since OCS. And my biotics? I can hold a barrier now for what, like half an hour? This is all just a distraction because no one wants to give me answers.” She punctuated her frustration with a throw.

Leng dodged as he rushed her, and was sent sailing in the general direction of the far wall for his troubles. He landed lightly as he deftly rolled to his feet. “This is because it’s a dangerous galaxy out there. You’ll get all the answers you want in two more days.” He wiped his sweat soaked hair back as he flashed her a smile. “What about me? I’m the one that had to keep you from tearing the place apart for two weeks, and I’m not allowed to give you those answers.” He circled slowly to her left. “Appreciate my sacrifice here. I’m letting you beat the shit out of me instead of tearing the station apart.”

“Oh, you’re good Leng, even for an N7,” replied Shepard as she turned to keep facing him. “But I’m better. You’re not _letting_ me do anything. The only thing keeping you alive is that you were smart enough not to have any shuttles here and it’s a long walk to the relay. I’ve been spaced once. Didn’t care for it.”

Kai Leng circled closer. “But it did such wonders for your complexion.”

“Yah,” she smiled as she moved her chin back and forth with her hand. “I like it. It scares away the weaklings.”

“I’m not scared,” barely discernible as he charged.

“I can fix that.” This time she used a slam to redirect his momentum to the mat, and pinned him there.

“You have to let me up eventually,” his voice was muffled by the mat.

“I’m fine like this, thanks,” she chuckled. “You know what Anderson always told me was the worst thing about someone making N7?”

“Mrrf.”

“That’s right,” she replied as if he’d actually answered. “It makes them cocky.” She drove her knee harder between his shoulder blades as she twisted his arm up behind him. 

.o0o.o0o.o0o.o0o.o0o.

It was just like the first time, but then wasn’t every time a first time? She was good. Oh, so very good. Nothing stood in her way, at least not for very long.

He’d watched, confident in his cloak as she’d scanned the room. _‘Nothing to see here…’_

Once the Cerberus troops had all been dispatched, she’d gone to Esheel, then handed him off to the asari. That was probably for the best. The salarian had flinched when he’d realized who his rescuer was. He was probably remembering what happened to the last salarian counselor when the Citadel was attacked and Shepard was present.

Still, he watched. Even with the area secure to what should have been the best of her knowledge, she continued to case the room. Slow steps, weapons drawn, sweeping the area as if she were facing a platoon instead of an empty waiting lounge. Behind her Esheel was spilling his guts to the consoling asari, implicating Udina, Cerberus, even human loyalists in C-Sec.

Although Esheel wound down, the gravity of the moment continued to increase. Shepard had never let down her guard, never turned back to the counselor. Eventually the asari noticed it too, shouldering the counselor aside as she again drew her weapon. The prothean had never holstered his, Shepard not having given an all clear. Kai Leng nodded in approval at the being’s discipline. Despite being an alien, he served the commander well.

He deactivated his cloak, deciding she would be too patient for him. Besides, what was the fun in sneaking away?

His smile materialized first, an effect that had taken him months to program into his infiltration gear. He allowed himself a small amount of satisfaction at the momentary surprise on the commander’s face.

“Kai Leng,” she acknowledged. Her pistol was instantly targeted directly between his eyes.

“Jane,” he returned. “Still not using our gifts to their full potential, I see.” He indicated her alien allies. “And I didn’t think you’d want an audience when it was my turn to pin _you_ to the floor.” 

The prothean might as well have been deaf for all the reaction his goading produced, but he was pleased to see the asari flinch at his comment.

Shepard hadn’t lowered her weapon, but he saw the familiar sparkle in her eyes. The one she'd reserved for when she was about to throw him across a room. “I knew you were there,” she replied with the beginnings of a grin.

He had just started to enjoy himself, thinking about how he could draw this out, when another cloak dropped. Suddenly a second gun was pointed at his head. This one held by the drell assassin, an individual far more likely to be immune to his charms. 

“As did I,” came the gravelly voice.

Leng _almost_ despaired. _‘Back to work…’_ he sighed.

He’d have opportunity enough later, he knew. It was just a matter of time. They might be on different sides, but they had the same goals.

He turned to face his attacker.

.o0o.o0o.o0o.o0o.o0o.

It had been the most words he’d spoken to Shepard since Lazarus Station, but he’d taken no joy in them. 

He’d felt nothing, in fact. He'd been permitted to feel nothing.

Gone was the playful banter, the challenge in pitting themselves against each other, testing each other. The best of the best competing on a level many could never understand. Defeating such a woman would be a crowning achievement, being defeated by her would bring no shame. 

There was no honor in fighting the weak, and she was so gloriously strong. If he had to die, he could imagine no better death than at her hands.

But this time there had been no close combat. They wouldn’t even let him kill her with dignity. Her! The woman who _they_ feared above all others. The woman who deserved to face her opponent and spit in their eye with her last breath. 

Even if that opponent was him.

 _Especially_ if it was him. 

Their destinies were intertwined. He’d known that from the beginning. 

But this chapter had ended with missiles, not the mercy of the bullet or the elegance of the blade. Their encounter concluded with him walking away, not running. Not chasing or being chased.

The objective had been achieved with machine-like precision, but there had been no humanity in it.

Humanity first had been their mantra. Now she was the only thing that even remotely made him feel human. He cursed The Illusive Man for what had been done to him.

But no one heard.

.o0o.o0o.o0o.o0o.o0o.

The Reapers had left him, their energies focused somewhere else, or perhaps he was just too damaged for their purposes. Probably the latter, he decided. He gladly accepted the pain in exchange for the ability to control his body again.

He slowly pulled himself to his feet, nearly losing consciousness with the effort.

Shepard was here. Along with the asari and the android, but those two were of little consequence. It was Shepard he sought, Shepard who would bring their game to an end. Why she hadn’t, he had no idea, but he would do his part. He started shuffling towards her.

 _‘Probably because I was wounded,’_ he realized. He shook his head at the thought and almost passed out. Her idea of honor was alien to him, but he would abide by it. She would only kill when threatened. So be it. He pushed himself to cross the twenty meters to where Shepard was seated, her back to him. 

It was better this way. For both of them. He paused before slowly drawing his blade.

He waited, his sword held, shaking, over his head. Five seconds. Ten Seconds. Waited for the response that did not come.

 _‘Surely she heard me,’_ he thought. He hoped he wouldn’t have to cough to announce his presence. It would ruin the moment.

He’d just resigned himself to the pain of a deep breath as if preparing to strike, when Shepard whirled on him, omni-blade extending in a smooth motion.

“It didn’t have to end like this!” She screamed in his face as she drove the blade into his midsection, steam still rising from the microforged weapon. 

He fell into her, choking and gasping. She lowered him to the floor, tear streaked anger on her face.

He smiled. “Yes it did.” 

He was almost able to wipe away her tear before his vision faded to nothing. 

_‘Thank you, Love.’_


End file.
